


Kingdom (litany of dreams)

by Amber_Flicker



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Character Study, Developing Relationship, Emotional Baggage, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, POV Alternating, Post-Graduation, Relationship Study, partially, they are in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:02:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23850499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amber_Flicker/pseuds/Amber_Flicker
Summary: Keito, Wataru, Eichi, and the kingdom they build with each other.
Relationships: Hasumi Keito/Hibiki Wataru/Tenshouin Eichi
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	Kingdom (litany of dreams)

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Snow and Dirty Rain by Richard Siken.
> 
> These scenes are not necessarily in chronological order and, while in the same continuity, are not directly connected to one another.

**[2nd year. Wataru.]**

Wataru knew Keito first in reputation only, as Rei's unitmate. He knew him next as the person who left said unit to join the other side of the war. And by the end of 2nd year, he knew him as Eichi's friend and confidant.

But he had never known him personally before the war. Different social circles (Wataru's complete lack of a social circle in first year, too odd, too distant to make real friends-), different classes, different clubs and interests. The idol course was bigger back then, anyway, before the war had culled the weak and unmotivated and brought it down to a much smaller selection of students. It had been easy to not really run into each other.

The first time they truly met wasn't until after it all, when they both ended up visiting Eichi in the hospital at the same time. By then, Wataru had accepted the invitation (hesitantly extended during an earlier visit, Eichi's expression carefully neutral but eyes still hopefully bright) to join fine. They were, despite everything, on the same side now, but Keito still seemed suspicious of his motivations, though he didn't bring it up immediately. Eichi was too excited to see them both together, and it was clear Keito cared too much about his happiness to ruin it just then. 

"...What, exactly, are you after?" Keito asked him in the hallway later on, far enough away from Eichi's room to make certain he couldn't hear.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You expect me to believe that after what fine did to you, that you would just up and join the unit? You must have some ulterior motive, Hibiki."

Wataru, of course, did have his own motives, but he was unwilling to share them. It was nothing so sinister as Keito was implying, anyway. It was simply... interest. Eichi had pulled him down from his distant world and forced him to become a character in this one, a nigh impossible feat. How could he not want to learn more about him? "Has anyone ever told you you're awfully protective of him, Keito-kun?"

"Don't call me so familiarly," he said, scowling. "...he's infatuated with you, you know. He's allowing you to get close even knowing what he did to you. If you use this to hurt him..."

It's very clear- not just from the threat, but from the way Keito looked at him earlier, the way he was so involved in the war, that Keito's as infatuated with Eichi as he claims Eichi is with Wataru. "Rest assured, I don't have any ill intent."

"Eichi may like you, but don't expect any leniency from me, Hibiki. I will be keeping an eye on you."

Wataru smiled. "Is that a challenge, Keito-kun?"

"It's a warning."

"Well, be sure to keep your attention on me, hmm? I do so hate to be ignored..." He winked, and Keito huffed in frustration. Wataru chose to take his leave before he could be lectured- as much fun as winding him up was turning out to be, he wasn't in the mood to sit through that. Best to leave before his actions could catch up with him! "I'll be seeing you, right hand man."

As he exited the hospital, he considered this new development. He hadn't quite anticipated Keito being as interesting to interact with as he had been. If (when) Wataru was bored next year, perhaps he could make a hobby of messing with him. It was sure to be entertaining... and he had a feeling Eichi would find it to be so as well.

**[3rd year. Keito.]**

Keito worried about Eichi often during winter. He always had, and it was only amplified now that Eichi couldn't stay safe and warm inside, had to go out to do idol work. Every time Eichi looked in worse health than usual, coughed a little too much after being in the cold, Keito felt like his heart stopped in his chest. It was particularly bad today- fine's live was outside. Akatsuki wasn't participating, but here Keito was anyway, too concerned about Eichi's reckless disregard for his own health to be anywhere else but beside him. They were backstage now, next to a heater that had been set up for this very purpose. Eichi had a thermos of tea (Keito insisted he do all he could to stay warm).

"Why did you schedule a live outside, of all places?"

"It's an important event, Keito. It's good publicity."

Keito sighed. Of course he'd say that. "What it is is bad for your health."

"It's for the sake of fine."

And it wasn't that Keito didn't understand the need to do what was best for your unit. It was just that he didn't think it should come at the cost of Eichi's life. He couldn't help but remember how hard Eichi pushed himself last year, how he nearly died at the end of that final ex-fine live. He didn't want that to happen again. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he let it happen again and it ended in a more permanent way this time-

"Keito," Eichi said softly, reaching out to bring Keito's gaze back to his. "You worry too much. I'm okay. I wouldn't have agreed to this if I wasn't feeling well enough to handle it. And Wataru wouldn't let me push too hard again."

Keito could only hope that was true. "...Alright. If you're sure," Speaking of... "Where is Hibiki, anyway?" Usually he'd have shown himself by now, if for no reason other than to tease Keito.

"Call my name and I shall appear!" Wataru appeared from behind them, a surprisingly tame entrance. Perhaps he was saving the theatrics for the stage. 

"Wataru. Is it time yet?" 

"Indeed it is! The audience awaits."

After Eichi went out to make introductions to the audience, Wataru turned to Keito. "I'll look after him, you know. You worry so much, Keito-kun, but you don't need to."

"I'll hold you to that," Keito replied, finding that despite his mixed feelings towards Wataru, he trusted him with this. 

"Leave it to your Hibiki Wataru," and then he followed the rest of fine out to join Eichi.

Keito didn't think he'd ever stop worrying over Eichi, but at least he wasn't watching over him alone.

**[3rd year. Eichi.]**

Everything was falling apart around him and yet going exactly to plan. He wanted to make it stop, to throw everything he'd worked for away, to do anything but this, but he couldn't. Despite his internal conflict, Eichi was stuck in the choreographed movements. He couldn't make everyone around him stop or fix any of what he'd done. He'd turned his friends and himself into weapons, blood staining the stage and the white of their uniforms, sword through Wataru's heart and Keito watching from the wings, eyes hidden behind his glasses. He wanted to scream, but all that would come out were the practiced vocals of the song.

The show went on with or without Eichi's consent. He'd begun something he could not stop until it was finished, and he could think of nothing but how much he hated himself for what he was doing, how he should have died before ever coming to Yumenosaki. 

He ripped the sword out and Wataru dissolved into a flood of blood red rose petals. When he turned to look at the rest of fine, he found that he was alone on the stage. The lights began to dim and the curtain fell, the crowd erupting into applause, and the sound rang dissonant in his ears. He was at the top and it was no victory because he was alone, alone, _alone-_

-And then he woke up. As soon as Eichi realized where he was, who he was with, he did his best to contain himself. It wouldn't do to wake either of them up with this. It shouldn't have been so hard to hold back the tears considering how often he had nightmares like this. It was, however, the first time he'd had one while Keito and Wataru were sleeping with him.

Wataru was, unfortunately, a light sleeper, and far too attentive to shifts in Eichi's behaviour, both things proven when he was woken despite Eichi's best efforts. 

"Eichi..? Is something wrong?"

"Don't worry about it, Wataru. I'm fine," and when Wataru still looked unconvinced, "it was only a nightmare." Wataru's gaze was oddly intense for so late at night, and Eichi looked away, feeling altogether too vulnerable.

"If you really don't want to talk about it, then I won't force the issue, but you know you can talk to me without judgement, yes?"

He _did_ know that, but he felt that he hardly deserved comfort or understanding on this particular subject, especially from Wataru. If anything, the nightmares were penance for what he did. Wataru may have been kind enough to forgive him, but his mind was not so merciful. And yet... a part of him wanted to take the offer. Eichi had been dealing with this on his own for a year now, and he was... tired. Tired of feeling like he was unforgivable, tired of the guilt and the regret. He'd brought this on himself, and he'd known from the beginning that it would be hard; but he was only human, and he couldn't help but want relief from the pain.

"I have nightmares about... last year. It's... I know I don't really have the right, when I was the cause-"

Wataru cut him off before he could go on, "Eichi, what happened last year was just as hard on you as anyone else. It's alright to feel upset about it."

"I hurt a lot of people, Wataru," _Including you,_ goes unsaid.

"Yes, and you feel sorry for it, don't you? That doesn't change what you did, but you have grown since last year, and you won't repeat your mistakes. Don't you think that is enough?"

Eichi could feel the tears welling up no matter how hard he tried to keep them back. "I don't... I don't deserve to be forgiven. I don't deserve to be loved."

"Nevertheless, I will do both for you, until you can forgive yourself," Wataru said, voice soft, and he couldn't take it anymore. Wataru held him as he cried, and shortly after Keito shifted closer to him as well, petting his hair gently, and they remained like that for a long time. Eichi had never had support during nights like these; he wondered if he could get used to this. He'd always expected to feel like a burden to them when this inevitably happened, but he found that in the moment it was nice to have them there. 

Letting out everything he'd been feeling for the past year was... a lot, but by the time his sobs died down he found he felt a little lighter than before. When he was calmer, he glanced over his shoulder at Keito. "I woke you, didn't I? Sorry."

"I'd been awake for a while, I just didn't want to interrupt..."

As much as he hated that he'd been this vulnerable in front of _both_ of them at once, it's not as if Keito wasn't going to find out at some point anyway, and he'd seen Eichi in worse states than this. It saved him the trouble of explaining again, he supposed. Maybe it was just the exhaustion speaking, but he thought maybe this wasn't so bad. Wataru and Keito had seen him at his darkest last year already, and they were still here. He'd always had the underlying fear that one or both of them would decide he wasn't worth it, that he was too much trouble, but... Maybe he could trust that it wouldn't be used against him, wouldn't drive them away, if he let them in to see the weakest parts of himself.

"Ah. Still, though. I woke both of you up."

"I'll live... Your wellbeing is more important."

"I agree," Wataru said, "you don't need to apologize for things out of your control. We would hardly be good partners if we weren't here to support you, Eichi."

Such sincere concern was still unfamiliar to him. Eichi wasn't quite sure how to respond. "Wataru and Keito agreeing on something... is this where one would use 'amazing'?"

Wataru smiled, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "It is."

"Yes, yes. We _do_ have work tomorrow, though, so can we settle down?"

As Eichi closed his eyes, he thought- while one night would hardly erase the guilt, he though that given enough time, he could feel that the deserved this love.

He didn't have any more nightmares that night.

**[Post-grad. Wataru.]**

"Beloved~! It is time for lunch," Wataru popped up in front of Eichi's desk. Eichi didn't question where he came from- he rarely did question any of Wataru's tricks. (Keito, on the other hand, liked to try to pick them apart and figure them out).

"It is. Have you gottten Keito yet?"

"I thought we could go together! You were closer to where I was, as well."

Eichi stacked up the paperwork he'd been doing and followed Wataru out of the office. "Yes, you were meeting the the biology club today, weren't you?"

Oh! Eichi had remembered. Wataru regaled him with what they had done in the circle today as they continued to Keito's office. They couldn't always have meals together because of their schedules, but today happened to be a day when all their schedules were open at the same time, so they'd agreed to meet for lunch. Keito was, undoubtedly, still working so hard he'd forgotten the time. He did so often, and it worried them both. Wataru didn't bother to knock when they arrived, but he did enter through the door normally, which was about as much as could be expected from him. Keito should be used to it by now, after all!

"Keito-kun! We have come to retrieve you for our dat-" Then he cut himself off, and he felt Eichi come closer to look into the room and see what had happened. 

Keito was asleep at his desk, glasses skewed and pen still in his hand. There was a stack of already completed paperwork next to him- he looked to have been almost finished.

The scene reminded Wataru of another time, early in their third year. Eichi had still been in the hospital, so Wataru had taken over the unit forms for an upcoming fine live and had gone to turn them in- and perhaps to mess with Keito a bit- he had to amuse himself somehow in Eichi's absence! But when he'd entered he had found Keito sleeping, expression more peaceful than Wataru had ever seen it when he was awake. He couldn't bring himself to disturb that. He was quiet as he put the forms on the desk, allowing himself a moment to observe Keito in a way he couldn't usually. He enjoyed getting reactions out of Keito, whether that was anger or frustration or simply flustered, he didn't care. But there was something to be said about how pretty Keito was when he was calm (or smiling, something Wataru had rarely seen him do and never towards him). He left a blanket draped over Keito's shoulders before he left. It wouldn't be the last time he found him like that.

...Which brought him back to the current situation. "He did come home quite late last night, and you know how he is with overworking..." Still! Keito would be upset if he both missed their lunch plans and also missed out on hours of work, so Wataru knew it was best to wake him. They would simply have to make sure he came home with them tonight- without paperwork to keep him up. 

It seemed Eichi had the same thought, as he had already walked over. "Keito, wake up~." He leaned down to press a kiss to Keito's forehead. Somehow that was what woke him, rather than Wataru's shouting earlier (perhaps he really was used to it). He sat up slowly, looking around like he couldn't recall where he was at first. 

"...Ah. Is it time for lunch already?"

"It is!"

"Sorry for interrupting your nap, Keito."

"I shouldn't have been sleeping at this time, anyway," Keito said, fixing his glasses. The three of them left the office and continued downstairs.

Eichi hummed. "Well, we'll just have to make sure you go to bed at a reasonable hour tonight."

"As long as I get all my work done on time."

"Keitooo, I missed you last night. Don't stay late again," Eichi whined, and Wataru knew even before looking that he was giving Keito that expression that neither he nor Wataru could ever say no to.

"We both missed you, you know. Won't you come home with us tonight?" 

Keito sighed. "...Fine. Stop looking at me like that."

"Amazing! The combined power of our love has convinced Keito-kun to stop working!" Wataru lifted Keito up and twirled a few times. The people passing by them startled at the shouting and theatrics.

"Incorrigible! Put me down!"

Eichi giggled, clearly amused with the situation. And despite Keito's shouting, Wataru knew him well enough to know that the flush on his face wasn't from anger. Wataru set him down, unable to resist giving him a kiss.

Wataru had spent a very long time alone, unable to connect with anyone. Up until second year, he had expected it to remain that way, and had accepted it. Then he had gained friends, and lost some other things in the process. But still... looking at his two boyfriends, and thinking of those he loved that weren't with him at the moment, he finds that he doesn't mind what it took to get to this place. Perhaps they had all needed to face those hardships in order to grow- either way, he was happier now than he ever had been before it all, and he'd rather focus on that than linger in the past. With that in mind, he took each of their hands, pulling them towards the cafe, eager to spend more time with the two people he loved most.

"Come, let's continue onwards!"

**[Post-grad. Keito.]**

Eichi was on a business trip; it wasn't an uncommon occurence, it was necessary for him to leave sometimes to take care of things as the Tenshouin heir, but that didn't mean either of them missed him any less each time. Wataru was busy as well, an upcoming play taking up his time. He'd been gone overnight more than once that week.

It wasn't that Keito couldn't deal with being alone. He wasn't clingy, didn't need constant attention. But he'd gotten so used to his partners being around, and as much as he complained when they bothered him during work hours or when they dragged him along on their antics, he truly did love them. The minimal amount of contact he'd had with them over the past week was beginning to make him feel... lonely. He tried his best to distract himself with work, but eventually had to give up for the day.

Going back to their shared apartment that night, he found he was the only one there again. Keito hadn't expected any different, really, but it only made him lonelier. He felt kind of ridiculous for feeling this way just because they were separated for a short while. He made dinner for himself and wasted time until bed, staying up later than usual hoping for a call from Eichi, or for Wataru to come home. Neither happened. He fell asleep alone.

Keito woke in the morning to noise from the kitchen and familiar voices. It took a moment to remember that one of those voices shouldn't have been there, and then he was fully awake and walking towards the sounds before he could really think about it, wondering if he was so far gone as to start imagining things that weren't there. But sure enough, Eichi was sitting at the table with his favorite tea cup and Wataru cooking in the kitchen. They both took notice of him right away.

"Good morning, Keito."

"Keito-kun! How do you like your surprise?"

It _was_ a surprise. He hadn't expected Wataru home at this time, much less Eichi. "I thought you'd be gone for a few more days."

"Not even a welcome home? Anyway, business was wrapped up quicker than expected."

"...Welcome home, Eichi," he sat down at the table next to Eichi. "You could have woken me."

"We could have. But you never get enough rest, Keito," Eichi said, reaching out to put a hand over Keito's. "We worry, you know?"

He thinks about how he'd missed this casual contact. "You don't have to, I can take care of myself."

"That may be, but you often don't! Is it not our job to watch over you, Keito-kun?" Wataru said as he joined them, placing a cup on the table not only for himself but for Keito as well. He took a sip before replying- it was perfect, as usual. Wataru knew what he liked.

"Well, don't feel obligated... but I appreciate the sentiment," he was still learning how to let others help instead of taking it all on himself. Thankfully, Wataru and Eichi were both stubborn enough to make make him let them in.

"It's no burden, of course!"

"You do the same for us all the time, think of it as returning the favor, hmm?"

It was nice to be together again. He could feel the loneliness that had settled over him start to fade, and warmth replace it. Keito knew it was hardly the last time they would be apart, but here and now, he felt reassured that they would always come back together.

"I missed you," he said, knowing they both felt the same.

**[Post-grad. Eichi.]**

There was time where Eichi never thought he would get to have this.

Most of his birthdays had been spent either in the hospital or at parties with people who cared less about his birthday and more about status. Keito had been there, yes, but reading about parties with close groups of friends, seeing them on tv... he couldn't help but want that, too. He wanted people to share such moments with. His birthday during his second year at Yumenosaki was worse than all those birthdays before combined. Eichi had been alone with the knowledge that it was because he'd driven everyone away, destroyed his relationships with everyone who could have been there to celebrate with him. It was far from the first time he'd regretted his actions, but it was the worst in moments like this. And he thought then and there that he deserved to be alone.

Two years from then, watching Tori and Tsukasa bicker over the sweets, Yuzuru trying to stop Leo from composing on the walls, Ritsu asleep at a table with Hajime fussing over him... thinking of others who had drifted in and out of the party over the past hour to wish him happy birthday... He realized he finally had everything he'd ever wanted. Despite it all, he was surrounded by people who cared about him.

"Are you enjoying your party, Eichi?" Wataru's voice pulled him from his thoughts. 

"It's very nice. Thank you both for arranging this."

"Ah, but it was Keito-kun's idea, originally."

Eichi blinked, turning to Keito on his other side. "Really? I didn't expect that from you. I know you aren't that into parties, especially during work hours."

"But you are," Keito said, face a little red, "you really think I never noticed how unhappy you were at your family's birthday parties?"

He had never really considered that Keito paid that much attention to it. He shouldn't have been surprised, he'd learned that Keito noticed _a lot_ (at least when it didn't come to how people felt about him), but it still made him a little speechless. He was struck, not for the first time that day, by how much he loved them and the knowledge that those feelings were returned. In the absence of words to describe this, he pulled Keito into a kiss. It was brief- Keito was still shy about pda, even after all this time- but he knew it got his point across well enough either way.

"What... what was that for?"

"I love you."

"...I love you too," Keito replied, voice soft.

They were showered in confetti and rose petals a moment later. "Amazing! Such a dazzling display of love! How wonderful!"

Eichi looked up at him knowingly. "Do you feel left out, Wataru? Sit back down so I can give you your kisses too," he said, proceeding to give him just that, after which Wataru leaned over the table to receive a kiss from Keito as Eichi laughed at Keito's protests about how Wataru was going to knock things over. He was... happy. Not just here, but every day, in a way he'd never hoped to be.

Eichi looked around, at his partners, his friends, everything he'd built up after the war, and thought... this was it.

This was his- _their_ \- kingdom.

**Author's Note:**

> Today I offer you soft watakeichis. Tomorrow? Who knows...
> 
> @amber_flicker on twitter, @bastardbabyeichi on tumblr


End file.
